FIRST PHASE BEGINS FOR SOLAR AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT AT THE LARGEST PRODUCE MARKET IN PUERTO RICO WITH INSTALLATION OF LED LIGHTING

San Juan, PR

Press Release

The effort, led by The Solar Foundation and the Clinton Foundation through Solar Saves Lives, is made possible by $1.1 million from the Hispanic Federation and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – Today, officials from The Solar Foundation, the Clinton Foundation, and the municipality of San Juan announced that work has begun on the first phase of the installation of solar and energy efficiency upgrades of the Plaza del Mercado de Río Piedras in San Juan, with installation of LED lighting that is expected to be completed later this month. The Hispanic Federation and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy have committed two grants totaling $1.1 million in funding for the project, which will also include installation of solar panels and batteries for the market. This work, being undertaken through the Solar Saves Lives initiative led by The Solar Foundation and the Clinton Foundation, is being done at the request of, and in close coordination with, the Municipality of San Juan.

The Plaza del Mercado de Río Piedras in San Juan is the largest produce market on the island, responsible for the livelihoods of 200 small business owners. Since Hurricane Maria, the energy situation has led to an unstable business environment, product losses, and fewer customers for these vendors.

Today’s announcement includes a $600,000 grant from the Hispanic Federation and a $500,000 grant from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, both of which will cover the cost of the purchase and installation of the first phase of solar panels, battery capacity, and LED lighting. In addition, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy grant creates an apprenticeship program for local workers to learn skills related to solar installation, roofing, and electrical work, which will help promote local workforce development. These installations will be done by New Energy, a leading Puerto Rican solar provider.

The first phase includes the installation of 700 units of LED lighting in the market. In the coming months, future phases will include the installation of 250kW of solar panels on the market; a 475kWh battery to help the market operate in the event of interruptions to the grid; and additional energy efficiency upgrades.

“Times of crisis call for us to reach out and forge alliances to pull resources together and achieve a common goal,” said San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz. “We are honored that the Clinton Foundation and The Solar Foundation have been instrumental in galvanizing this much needed donation which will lead the way in transforming the largest produce market in San Juan and Puerto Rico. Having access to solar energy will ensure dozens of small business owners will not to be hostage to an unreliable electrical infrastructure. The way of the future is made possible today by those that believe we are all entitled to better life.”

“This effort is directly helping the people of the Río Piedras community – making the market more resilient against future hurricanes, while also more sustainable and less reliant on energy from fossil fuels,” said Kevin Thurm, CEO of the Clinton Foundation. “We acknowledge and appreciate the generosity of the Hispanic Federation and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the coordination of Mayor Cruz and the municipality of San Juan, and the work of all our partners through the Solar Saves Lives initiative. This project is a clear example of the progress we can make when philanthropy, business, and government work together.”

“We're proud to work with our partners to power this vital community market with clean solar energy and efficient LED lighting, as part of our Solar Saves Lives initiative to build a stronger and more resilient Puerto Rico,” said Andrea Luecke, president and executive director at The Solar Foundation. “We are also excited to launch a workforce development program that will create job opportunities in Puerto Rico's growing solar industry.”

In the months following Hurricane Maria, President Clinton and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz visited the Río Piedras Market and announced the intention to solarize the market – lowering energy consumption from the grid and making the market more resilient for future storms.

Since the initial announcement, the Clinton Foundation and the Solar Foundation have worked in close coordination with Mayor Cruz and the Municipality to carry out site assessments and finalize the planning and project management for initial phases of the project. As the damage to the market has been fully assessed, the cost and size of the project has become greater than initially anticipated. With the widespread devastation not only from Hurricane Maria but also from the 2017 hurricane season more broadly, there has been great regional demand for philanthropic support which has made securing funding for specific projects more challenging.

“This project combines so many efforts to support the Río Piedras community – driving economic development, lowering energy consumption, empowering small businesses, and promoting sustainability and resiliency,” said José Calderón, President of the Hispanic Federation. “These types of installations are a perfect example of the types of investments we need to make in Puerto Rico’s future, and the Hispanic Federation is excited to be supporting this incredibly important effort to install solar equipment and energy efficiency upgrades at the Río Piedras Market.”

“Having recently granted $2.9 million to community organizations in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands, we at CDP are committed to supporting long-term recovery from Hurricanes Maria and Irma,” said Robert G. Ottenhoff, president & CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. “With its focus on economic recovery, this project demonstrates the positive impact of investing philanthropic dollars in ways that restore livelihoods and make communities more resilient.”

These installations will be done by New Energy, and facilitated by The Solar Foundation, the Clinton Foundation, and Operation Blessing through the Solar Saves Lives initiative, a joint program formed in the wake of last year’s devastating hurricane season to coordinate the delivery and installation of solar and battery storage equipment to areas of urgent need. New Energy is providing the materials and labor for installation at cost.

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About The Solar FoundationThe Solar Foundation® is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to accelerate adoption of the world’s most abundant energy source. Through its leadership, research, and capacity building, The Solar Foundation creates transformative solutions to achieve a prosperous future in which solar and solar-compatible technologies are integrated into all aspects of our lives. Learn more at TheSolarFoundation.org.

About the Clinton FoundationBuilding on a lifetime of public service, President Clinton established the Clinton Foundation on the simple belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed, everyone has a responsibility to act, and we all do better when we work together. For nearly two decades, that premise has energized the work of the Foundation in overcoming complex challenges and improving the lives of people across the United States and around the world.

As an operating foundation, we work on issues directly or with strategic partners from the business, government, and nonprofit sectors to create economic opportunity, improve public health, and inspire civic engagement and service. Our programs are designed to make a real difference today while serving as proven models for tomorrow. The goal of every effort is to use available resources to get better results faster – at the lowest possible cost.

We firmly believe that when diverse groups of people bring resources together in the spirit of true cooperation, transformative ideas will emerge to drive life-changing action.

About The Hispanic Federation’s efforts in Puerto RicoHispanic Federation (HF) has taken unprecedented action to support Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricane Maria’s devastation, coordinating hundreds of donation drives, distributing millions of pounds of food, water and essentials, and delivering emergency relief to all of Puerto Rico’s 78 hard-hit municipalities. Currently, HF is seeding $30 million dollars to support over 80 local groups leading initiatives in the following areas: agriculture, renewable energy, housing, environment, small business & workforce development, health/mental health, education, and the arts. To learn more information, visit www.hispanicfederation.org.

About the Center for Disaster PhilanthropyThe Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s mission is to transform disaster giving by providing timely and thoughtful strategies to increase donors’ impact during domestic and international disasters. CDP is currently managing $24 million in six Disaster Funds on behalf of corporations, foundations, and individuals. In the face of intensifying natural disasters and worsening humanitarian crises, CDP also works to raise awareness of the urgent need to support the full lifecycle of disasters, from mitigation and preparedness to long-term recovery and resilience, particularly among vulnerable populations. For more information, please visit: http://disasterphilanthropy.org, call (202) 595-1026 or tweet us @funds4disaster.